I would like to connect with anyone fishing East or West Grand Traverse Bay. I am ready to start fishing for something other than the small mouth bass but am not sure how to get as deep as is necessary without a downrigger.

For trolling, you can flat line troll several baits to 20’ relatively easily. Hot & Tots, deep tail dancers, etc.You can use the “Musky” size Torpedo Diver, lead core line, or copper line to get deeper.

I would like to connect with anyone fishing East or West Grand Traverse Bay. I am ready to start fishing for something other than the small mouth bass but am not sure how to get as deep as is necessary without a downrigger.

Hey CW -I fish East Bay occasionally from my PA14. Great fishery for Lakers, Cisco and salmon. Although I have trolled there a lot using both downrigger and lead core, don't discount jigging! My usual drill is to rig magnum spoons or Spin-n-Glo's or J-Plugs behind a flasher. I'll troll one of these on lead core and the other on my Scotty Depthmaster downrigger, typically setting baits 70-100 ft down. I set waypoints as I pass over clusters of fish. If the trolling is unsuccessful, I return to those waypoints and jig with a 2oz vertical Jonah Jig. I have probably landed more large predator fish by jigging than by trolling. FWIW, before I started using a downrigger, I would troll deep with 8-12oz Torpedo Divers but that proved awkward when trying to land feisty chinook. I have tried Dipsy Divers and similar dive-plane devices but have not had much luck with them, probably due to variable troll speeds.Good luck out there!

I primarily use Slide Divers (similar to a Dipsey Diver, but with the ability to easily lengthen long leaders as needed).One off of each side of the 'yak.

I occasionally use a home made copper hand line (very simply 2 tin pie plates riveted together back to back with a stainless steel long bolt for a center handle). Actually quite fun to use, but only for one line at a time. Had a big hit 2 years ago that nearly tore out my shoulder!

Haven't spent much time jigging... I'm usually not the only one over a pod of fish.

Primarily trolling Lake MI out of Frankfort for King salmon or early in the fall for Coho in Platte Bay, but I'd also like to get in on some Atlantic salmon action out of Presque Isle harbor (northern lake Huron).

Anybody have an Outback? I’m from Traverse (Currently in Ann Arbor), and I’m new to fishing out of a Yak. Any advice on what model to go with would be much appreciated.

I would like to fish the big lakes occasionally but still be able to hit rivers and inland lakes. I’m 6’3 230 lbs. Thoughts?

Hey BigYak-I fish northern Lk MI from both a PA14 and an Outback. I feel pretty confident in the PA, but haven't quite gotten there yet in the Outback. The OB is definitely a fine ride and easier pedalling than the PA, but I choose my days and spots a lot more cautiously. I routinely target salmon in the PA but deliberately rig for NOT tangling with one in the OB. I know a lot of salt water guys do fine in them, including getting out and back through breakers. But it seems like an inherently less stable platform and a wetter ride. I stay within about 1-2 miles of shore in the OB. There is nowhere near as much room to carry gear. And unless you can rig up an ice cooler under the front hatch, there is not a good place to store a typical mixed bag of 8-15# lake trout and 4-6# Cisco or whitefish. So I target perch or cisco or the occasional walleye in the OB, relatively close to shore and on relatively calm days. I am not interested in river fishing either yak, though, due to the shallow rivers around here. Good luck!

Hey Jim, I really appreciate you taking the time to give me some feedback! Do you haul your PA with a trailer or roof top? I’m a big guy but I’m a little concerned about logistics as I sold my truck and I will have to cart the yak a ways in some situations. A few spots will require a 1/4 mile haul. Would that be a significant drawback in your opinion!

Hey Jim, I really appreciate you taking the time to give me some feedback! Do you haul your PA with a trailer or roof top? I’m a big guy but I’m a little concerned about logistics as I sold my truck and I will have to cart the yak a ways in some situations. A few spots will require a 1/4 mile haul. Would that be a significant drawback in your opinion!

Thanks again;)

I guess it all depends on your level of motivation! But car-topping a PA14 and then carting it another quarter mile to the water is definitely a challenge. I have a truck with bed extender and also a trailer, so I never car-topped my PA. Nor would I ever want to! One time I did have to cart it, fully loaded, about 350 yards across a mixture of asphalt, gravel, boardwalk and sand - but only once. I swore to never repeat that workout again without several months of training. The next day I made arrangements to trailer to a launch several miles away and pedal back to join my group, rather than do the overland slog again. Bottom line is that yes, these things are possible, but not worthwhile for this 63 year-old 150# yak angler. You're a much bigger guy and may feel otherwise if the trophy fish are really biting off that backwoods launch.